Book Two: 1805 - Chapter VI

by Leo Tolstoy

　　Kutuzov fell back toward Vienna, destroying behind him the bridgesover the rivers Inn (at Braunau) and Traun (near Linz). On October23 the Russian troops were crossing the river Enns. At midday theRussian baggage train, the artillery, and columns of troops weredefiling through the town of Enns on both sides of the bridge.

　　It was a warm, rainy, autumnal day. The wide expanse that opened outbefore the heights on which the Russian batteries stood guarding thebridge was at times veiled by a diaphanous curtain of slanting rain,and then, suddenly spread out in the sunlight, far-distant objectscould be clearly seen glittering as though freshly varnished. Downbelow, the little town could be seen with its white, red-roofedhouses, its cathedral, and its bridge, on both sides of which streamedjostling masses of Russian troops. At the bend of the Danube, vessels,an island, and a castle with a park surrounded by the waters of theconfluence of the Enns and the Danube became visible, and the rockyleft bank of the Danube covered with pine forests, with a mysticbackground of green treetops and bluish gorges. The turrets of aconvent stood out beyond a wild virgin pine forest, and far away onthe other side of the Enns the enemy's horse patrols could bediscerned.

　　Among the field guns on the brow of the hill the general incommand of the rearguard stood with a staff officer, scanning thecountry through his fieldglass. A little behind them Nesvitski, whohad been sent to the rearguard by the commander in chief, wassitting on the trail of a gun carriage. A Cossack who accompaniedhim had handed him a knapsack and a flask, and Nesvitski wastreating some officers to pies and real doppelkummel. The officersgladly gathered round him, some on their knees, some squatting Turkishfashion on the wet grass.

　　"Yes, the Austrian prince who built that castle was no fool. It'sa fine place! Why are you not eating anything, gentlemen?" Nesvitskiwas saying.

　　"Thank you very much, Prince," answered one of the officers, pleasedto be talking to a staff officer of such importance. "It's a lovelyplace! We passed close to the park and saw two deer... and what asplendid house!"

　　"Look, Prince," said another, who would have dearly liked to takeanother pie but felt shy, and therefore pretended to be examiningthe countryside- "See, our infantrymen have already got there. Lookthere in the meadow behind the village, three of them are draggingsomething. They'll ransack that castle," he remarked with evidentapproval.

　　"So they will," said Nesvitski. "No, but what I should like,"added he, munching a pie in his moist-lipped handsome mouth, "would beto slip in over there."

　　He pointed with a smile to a turreted nunnery, and his eyes narrowedand gleamed.

　　"That would be fine, gentlemen!"

　　The officers laughed.

　　"Just to flutter the nuns a bit. They say there are Italian girlsamong them. On my word I'd give five years of my life for it!"

　　"They must be feeling dull, too," said one of the bolder officers,laughing.

　　Meanwhile the staff officer standing in front pointed outsomething to the general, who looked through his field glass.

　　"Yes, so it is, so it is," said the general angrily, lowering thefield glass and shrugging his shoulders, "so it is! They'll be firedon at the crossing. And why are they dawdling there?"

　　On the opposite side the enemy could be seen by the naked eye, andfrom their battery a milk-white cloud arose. Then came the distantreport of a shot, and our troops could be seen hurrying to thecrossing.

　　Nesvitski rose, puffing, and went up to the general, smiling.

　　"Would not your excellency like a little refreshment?" he said.

　　"It's a bad business," said the general without answering him,"our men have been wasting time."

　　"Hadn't I better ride over, your excellency?" asked Nesvitski.

　　"Yes, please do," answered the general, and he repeated the orderthat had already once been given in detail: "and tell the hussars thatthey are to cross last and to fire the bridge as I ordered; and theinflammable material on the bridge must be reinspected."

　　"Very good," answered Nesvitski.

　　He called the Cossack with his horse, told him to put away theknapsack and flask, and swung his heavy person easily into the saddle.

　　"I'll really call in on the nuns," he said to the officers whowatched him smilingly, and he rode off by the winding path down thehill.

　　"Now then, let's see how far it will carry, Captain. Just try!" saidthe general, turning to an artillery officer. "Have a little fun topass the time."

　　"Crew, to your guns!" commanded the officer.

　　In a moment the men came running gaily from their campfires andbegan loading.

　　"One!" came the command.

　　Number one jumped briskly aside. The gun rang out with a deafeningmetallic roar, and a whistling grenade flew above the heads of ourtroops below the hill and fell far short of the enemy, a littlesmoke showing the spot where it burst.

　　The faces of officers and men brightened up at the sound. Everyonegot up and began watching the movements of our troops below, asplainly visible as if but a stone's throw away, and the movements ofthe approaching enemy farther off. At the same instant the sun camefully out from behind the clouds, and the clear sound of thesolitary shot and the brilliance of the bright sunshine merged in asingle joyous and spirited impression.